the gypsy mafia...

I must admit my experience with gypsies is limited, for the most part, to movies (particularly one character in Private Eyes - one of the funniest movies ever) and television. Aside from those media influences, some of the ladies in a group I traveled with in Scotland several years ago on a mission trip had the opportunity to spend a limited amount of time with a group of gypsies that was "living" near the church we worked with. Let me clarify, though. The gypsies we got to know were all women as the men would not step foot within a church or having anything to do with Christians. While the ladies spent a plethora of hours with the women, very little was shared about the gypsies. They were extremely unwilling to let anyone into their world.

Today, though, my experience with gypsies was broadened. I read a story that could be out of a spoof of the Sopranos: The Gypsy Mafia. Apparently in S. California, two clans are fighting it out, making the likes of even Tony Soprano proud. Also, the report goes on to say, nearly one million gypsies live in the United States. Here is the news story.

Also, the phrase "to gyp someone" is actually a racial statement stemming from prejudice against gypsies. I just realized that last year. Yes, it is a little more random trivia from my head.